Japanese Saints: Mormons in the Land of the Rising Sun

Description

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormon Church, is quickly becoming a global religion with more than 12 million members worldwide. In Japan, the number of official members has more than doubled since 1980. Yet this impressive growth has not been accompanied by research on Japanese Mormons. What attracts Japanese people, most of whom have little experience with Christianity, to an American faith? How are their lives as Japanese people affected by the Mormon Church? Based on research in a small congregation in northern Japan and in-depth interviews with foreign missionaries, Japanese Saints is the first book to provide an in-depth, qualitative examination of what it is like to be a Japanese Mormon. Hoffmann pays particular attention to how members joined the LDS Church, how it has affected relationships with family and friends, and what membership in the Church entails.

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About Author

John P. Hoffmann is professor of sociology at Brigham Young University.

Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Japanese History, Christianity, and the LDS Church Chapter 3 Toward an Understanding of Religious and Japanese Identities Chapter 4 Joining the Church, Leaving the Church Chapter 5 What it Means to be a Latter-day Saint Chapter 6 Identity Balance: Conflicts and Reconciliations Chapter 7 Church Work as Identity Work Chapter 8 Missionary Work in Japan Chapter 9 Japanese Identity, Mormon Identity: Sketches and Conclusions Chapter 10 Appendix: Research Methos